Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to make “a major announcement… about her new role in the Congressional campaign to repeal the military’s ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual service personnel,” according to a press release.

Tauscher has long been opposed to the policy, co-sponsoring bills to repeal it and using her seat on the House Armed Services Committee to call for hearings on it, particularly in light of military forces already stretched thin by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now, with Democrats in the majority, Tauscher and like-minded allies might see their chance.

H.R. 1246, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, which would repeal the policy, is pending in the House with 125 co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle, including all of the Bay Area delegation except for Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco.